by Jamie Begley
“Shut her up!” Scorpion yelled.
Vaughn mercilessly smashed his fist into the side of her face.
“You won’t have to shut me up. You’ll kill us all if you breach that concrete casing,” Rachel cried, angry at herself for believing Scorpion was taking her to show her the property he had bought. She had been heading toward Molly’s Valley when he said it was in Jamestown. She had stopped by for a quick look, not listening to the warnings about trusting people Tate had drilled into her head for years, and the ones Shade and Cash had given her.
When she had arrived at the property, Scorpion had tied her up and thrown her into a car along with her purse and credentials to get into Molly’s Valley. One guard had been killed as soon as he had opened the gate, the other at the facility door. Both guards hadn’t stood a chance against the number of men and weapons trained on them.
“Listen to me, Scorpion. Those casings are holding radioactive materials. Anyone near them without protective equipment is going to die.”
“I told you to shut her up! I know what I’m fucking doing.”
“You didn’t tell us this was a suicide mission,” Vaughn snarled.
Scorpion raised his gun, firing it at the man standing next to Vaughn.
“If I hear one more word from you, your next.” Scorpion raised his gun toward Rachel.
“Go ahead. I’d rather die quick, you dumb-ass.”
“Fine.”
Rachel closed her eyes, preparing herself, flinching when she heard the gun go off. Surprised she didn’t feel the pain, she opened her eyes to see The Last Riders fighting Scorpion and his men.
Rachel sat, watching as the men fought, her eyes glued to Cash until Rider lifted her off the ground, carrying her outside.
Several of Scorpion’s men tried to escape, only to be brought down by Stud’s men.
Rider untied her, taking her to a car that had pulled in and forcing her inside. “Take her back to Treepoint.”
“Wait.”
Rider slammed the car door, disappearing back inside the facility.
Rachel turned frantically in her seat, but the car speeding off knocked her off balance. She worried all the way back to Treepoint about Cash’s safety.
The car dropped her off at the police station where Knox was waiting.
“Is he okay?” she asked as soon as she got out of the car.
“Cash is fine. Come on inside; I need to take your statement.”
Rachel blinked back tears of relief, going inside the Sheriff’s office. All she could do now was wait.
* * *
Cash stood, surveying the carnage around him. They had barely reached Molly’s Valley in time. If Viper hadn’t called the brothers in from Ohio and Stud’s men hadn’t arrived in time, ready to battle, they wouldn’t have been able to stop them.
As it was, three Last Riders from Ohio were killed and two Blue Horsemen. Rider had been shot in the arm while Cash had received a knife cut on his cheek and was grazed by a bullet on his shoulder.
All of the men looked like they had been through a war by the time Train killed the last of Scorpion’s men.
Willa won’t be making that bastard a pie anytime soon, Cash thought vindictively.
“You all right?” Cash asked, helping Viper to his feet.
“Yeah. You?”
Cash nodded, taking off his brass knuckles and slipping them back into his pocket. Both men watched as Homeland Security secured the facility.
“At least the taxpayers won’t be paying to house these dead fuckers,” Viper sneered, kicking Scorpion’s dead body. “Tell everyone to head home.”
Cash spread the word, and the brothers from Ohio headed back there while the rest went back to Treepoint.
He was anxious to see Rachel and make sure she was all right. The last he had seen of her was when he made sure Rider had followed his orders to get her away as fast as possible.
He made a quick stop in Jamestown to drop off an envelope filled with cash to Connie. The woman deserved it for stopping what could have been a tragedy and saving Rachel’s life. He was unlucky enough to find her there. Suffering through her grateful hug, he left hurriedly when her hand went to his crotch. His gratitude didn’t include a mercy fuck.
“Call me,” she had yelled from the door of the bar.
Cash had to remind himself to be nice, that she had saved hundreds of lives keeping radiation from being released, but it was still difficult when she called him, trying to get him to turn back. He almost threw his phone away, turning her down instead.
He had to stop by Knox’s office to file the report he’d promised Homeland Security. Viper and the others had gone on ahead, leaving him to take care of the details. He had to bite back his disappointment at finding Rachel had already left. He was becoming more aggravated by the moment.
It was almost dark before he pulled up in front of Mag’s house. He was sore and tired, but he just wanted to make sure Rachel was okay and hold her. Then he would give her fucking hell for leaving him this morning. If she had stay put, she would have been out of harm’s way.
He climbed off his bike, coming to a stop when he saw Rachel standing on the porch with a shotgun pointed at him.
“Get on your bike and go on to the clubhouse,” Rachel yelled.
“Why in the hell are you pointing your gun at me?” Cash had thought she would be upset after last night, but not to this extent. The day they’d had should have had them spending the night together, lucky to be alive, but did a Porter ever react the way a normal person would? Fuck no.
“Killyama just called me. She said she saw you at a bar in Jamestown, all cozy with a woman there. She had your dick in her freaking hand. Go on back to her and stay away from me.”
“I can explain.” Cash took a step forward, only to stop when she shot at his feet.
“Dammit, Rachel! I want to talk to you.”
“I don’t want to talk to you again. Go away!”
“That’s my grandmother’s house you’re living in.” His patience was decidedly becoming strained from having his woman shoot at him. Dammit, he had saved her life; he deserved a reward, not having his head blown off.
“She’s not your grandmother anymore, she’s mine.”
“You can’t confiscate my grandmother,” he told her, admiring her figure in the tight jeans and t-shirt. There was something sexy about a woman who could handle a gun.
“Yes, she can. I told her I would take the trade. I have to watch out for my great-grandbaby,” Mag yelled out from the house.
Cash was going to give that old woman hell when he could get close to her again, and he could tell that wasn’t going to happen with a vengeful Rachel standing guard on the front porch. He was going to have to leave until he could come up with a plan.
Climbing on his bike, he sat there and debated storming the porch until another shot rang out, going through the helmet he kept for Rachel.
She is going to pay for that, he thought, starting the motor.
Putting those two women together was a mistake he was going to have to pay for over several years to come. He was going to personally thank Shade when he got back to the clubhouse. The mean bastard better come up with a way out of this mess.
* * *
Rachel quietly opened the front door. It was still dark outside, and she didn’t want to wake Mag. She was terrified, if she did, she wouldn’t have the strength to leave. She turned, closing the door behind her, and gave a startled scream when Cash spoke behind her.
“Going somewhere?” He was sitting on Mag’s swing, his boot moving the swing back and forth.
“What are you doing here?”
“Keeping you from running off again.”
Rachel knew it was useless denying it since she was holding her suitcase in her hand.
“I need to go to the university to finish up the work on my dissertation; it’s due this week.”
“Lily told me. Funny that you didn’t plan on going there until yesterday.
”
“A lot happened yesterday. I almost got killed.”
“The whole state almost died,” Cash corrected her.
“Yes. He planned it that way, didn’t he?”
“Yep. It would have drawn the attention to the organization he was involved with, to prove how incapable the government was... I don’t know… for whatever crazy ass reason they came up with to take innocent lives.”
Rachel nodded, moving nearer the steps.
“I prayed today, Rachel.” The swing stopped moving. “I honestly don’t remember the last time I had. Maybe the day I saw you crying over your parents’ grave, or the day I found my grandfather. I didn’t pray the whole time I was overseas fighting. I didn’t when my parents died. When Mag lay dying in front of me and you tried to save her, I didn’t pray. But when Lily told us you were at Molly’s Valley, I prayed the whole way there. I made a bunch of promises the good Lord knows I’ll never keep, but I made one I will. I love you, Rachel. I told you I was slow, and I’ve proved that by you. I’ve made several mistakes I wish never happened.”
His foot started the swing moving again. “I didn’t touch that woman Killyama saw me with. I was paying her for information, and I took off as fast as I could because I wanted to get back to you, to see how you were, to make sure you were safe. We both know that you’re a good enough shot that you’re not going to miss what you’re aiming at, so I left to give you some time to cool down.” His soft laughter filled her heart.
“You see, Rachel. I’m finally figuring you out. You don’t sleep in my bed because you’re saving that. You don’t pull my dirty clothes out of the clothes hamper when you wash clothes because you’re saving that. You won’t fix dinner for me because you’re saving that, too. You might have given me your virginity, but you’re saving all your other firsts for another man. It tore out a piece of my heart, when I realized, why you won’t tell me you love me out loud. Like ripping off a band aid.”
A tear slid down her cheek as his words hit home.
“I knew, sure as shit, you were going to run, just like your mama did when my father screwed up with my mother. I’m asking you to stay and give us a chance.”
“Cash, I want a home and children.” Her voice broke. “I don’t want to wake up in a MC club every morning.”
“I can give you what you need, Rachel. I swear I can. Vixen, trust me one more time. I won’t let you down. I promise.”
She heard the truth in his husky voice.
“You still want to leave?”
Rachel nodded, this time unable to hold back her tears.
Cash’s face filled with agony as the sun rose over the mountains.
“I’ll drive you, then. Your car won’t make it out of town, much less the four hour drive to Lexington.” He walked toward her, taking the suitcase.
Rachel climbed into the truck while he placed her suitcase in the back. Climbing in, he started the motor and then backed out with a hard face. At the bottom of the driveway, he flipped on the blinker.
“You’re going the wrong way.”
When his startled face turned toward her, Rachel reached across the seat, taking his hand in hers. “Let’s go home, Cash.”
Chapter 38
Cash set the sandwich and cup of tea down in front of the computer. “Eat.”
“Let me finish this sentence; I’m almost done,” Rachel said wearily.
The university had given her another advisor, since Homeland Security found out Dr. Alden had been a member of Scorpion’s anti-government group. He had fed them the information that Rachel would be able to get them into the restricted facility, setting her up to be killed. Rachel wanted a front row seat when he went to court.
“You said that over four hours ago. Taking ten minutes to eat isn’t going to set you back. Your paper isn’t due until tomorrow at twelve.”
“I know, but I want to go to church and—”
“Eat, Rachel, or I’ll take the computer away.”
Rachel stopped typing long enough to pick up her sandwich while glaring at him. He sat down on the chair next to the desk in his room at The Last Riders’ clubhouse.
Cash had been busy fixing up his fishing cabin for them to live in. Monday, the trucks were coming to pave a driveway to the isolated cabin. He’d said that he’d had enough of potholes to last a lifetime. Rachel hadn’t argued, too filled with happiness at the thought of living with him at the beautiful spot.
The mountain their parents and Sunshine were buried on looked down on the spot where the cabin was built. Rachel wanted to think all of them would be able to watch her and Cash’s lives through the coming years.
Rachel swallowed the bite of sandwich she had taken. “Thank whoever made the sandwich for me.”
“You’re welcome.”
“You made it?” Her shocked gaze met his.
“I did.” He grinned, standing up. “Hurry up and finish. When you get done, I’ll show you I’m a handy guy to have around.” His thumb brushed her nipple. He then let her be after she swatted at his hand.
It was another two hours before she finished, pressing the send button. She didn’t bother taking off her clothes, lying tiredly down on the mattress next to Cash.
“Finished?”
“Mmhmm.” She had nothing left, letting Cash snuggle her against his side.
“Go to sleep.”
Rachel sank into a deep sleep, not waking until Cash shook her awake the next morning.
“Get dressed or you’re going to be late for church.”
Rachel burrowed under the pillows. “I’ll go tonight,” she mumbled.
He took the pillows away and pulled the blanket back. “Up.” He helped her to sit up. “Get dressed. I thought I would join you today.”
Rachel’s bleary eyes opened wide.
“But you don’t go to church,” she reminded him.
“I am today. I need to repent for what we did last Friday and Saturday.”
Rachel smacked him in the face with a pillow, jumping out of bed before he could retaliate. “I better go, too, before I break the commandment: thou shall not kill.”
She slammed the bathroom door on his laughter.
* * *
“Come on; we should have left ten minutes ago,” Lily chastised her as she came down the stairs.
“I’m ready. Let’s go.” Rachel grabbed her purse. “What’s the hurry? Where’s Cash; he told me he was coming?”
“He said he would meet us there. Let’s go.”
“I’m coming. I don’t know why you’re rushing me. I could crawl and get there faster than you,” she teased Lily, whose rounded belly was becoming bigger every time she saw her. The woman looked like she was ready to give birth any minute.
“Very funny. Wait until you begin to show, then you’ll see how funny it is for—”
“Wait, what did you say? I’m not—”
“We don’t have time.” Lily and Beth rushed out the door.
Rachel hurried after them or she would be left behind without a ride.
Razer had already strapped in the twins and was sitting behind the wheel when Rachel got to the car, grinning smugly at Lily when she got in.
Rachel listened as they talked about getting ready for Lily’s baby. They had decided not to have a shower with so many hand-me-downs from Beth’s boys, and Lily said Shade wasn’t up for it.
Rachel looked at Lily’s face, glowing with happiness, with a lump in her throat.
At the church, Razer let them out before he parked the car. Beth carried Noah while Rachel carried Chance.
“Rachel, can I talk to you a second?”
Rachel handed Razer Chance as he approached before turning to Cal. “Of course. Lily, you and Beth go ahead. Save me a seat.”
“All right, but hurry.”
Rachel nodded, aware of the face Brooke made any time someone entered late.
“Is something wrong?” Rachel asked after the sisters had left her alone with Cal, seeing the guilty look on hi
s face.
“I wanted to thank you for asking your cousin to help my dad get a job.”
She started to deny it.
“Drake told me.”
“Oh. I hope your family is doing better.”
“We are. That’s why I haven’t had to come back for more groceries.”
Rachel smiled at him, happy Drake had been able to help.
“There’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you, though. I feel bad since you’ve helped me out so much.”
“What is it?” she asked gently, seeing his remorse.
“I’ve been sneaking into your brothers’ weed patch. I didn’t take it for me. My mom’s got cancer; it helped her… I’m sorry.”
Rachel nodded, unable to speak because she was afraid she would burst into tears. Cal was too young to deal with everything he’d had to for the last year.
“I’ll tell Tate. Don’t be afraid.” Rachel saw his fearful reaction. “He’ll keep a small bag for your mother. No charge.”
Rachel saw the puppy worship in his eyes. “Thanks, Rach.”
“You’re welcome. Now, I better go before Lily gives my seat away.”
Rachel hurried inside the packed church. The crowd was unusually large. She even saw Mag, who never attended Sunday services, sitting in the front row.
The church choir had already started by the time Rachel saw Lily and Beth sitting in the front with Diamond and Winter. Raci, Stori, Evie, and the other women filled out the row.
“Brooke’s not happy,” Lily whispered to her after Rachel had managed to squeeze into her seat.
“That’s all right,” Rachel whispered as Pastor Merrick walked toward the podium.
She scanned the crowded room, looking for Cash, waving back at Mag who had turned in her wheelchair to wave at her. Cash had already promised to get The Last Riders to build an additional room for Mag if she decided to move in with them.
She didn’t see Cash until her eyes were caught by his. He was casually leaning against the side of the church, near the pulpit.
Rachel frowned, wondering why he was standing there, facing the crowd instead of sitting in one of the pews.
